Smoking Willows
by Avior Schedar
Summary: Set after the time when Elena,Damon,Jeremy come back after hunting Col.Read how with time Elena falters with time on her original choice of choosing Stefan and read how everybody uncovers Damon's true feelings and see him for the man he truly is.Read why he is the man he is now. A DELENA FanFiction.


**CHAPTER 1:**

The wind was blowing hard rattling the windows in the stormy night when a figure walked crunching the leaves below him. His black midnight hair was tousled as he gazed at the night almost longingly. He spotted the house and moved towards it in a inhuman speed,he rapped on the door and a hunky figure opened the door.

"I didn't know you would make it so soon,Damon."

"Just cut the welcoming crap already and tell me why you called me at three in the morning and disrupted my beauty sleep,Alaric".Damon retorted and flashed a devilish smile and then asked "Is Elena okay?".

"Well that is what I called you for,I,Elena,Jeremy and Stefan are going to Salem to hunt for the Originals, Stefan said that he had sources who told him that there is a weapon other than the oak tree that can kill them and that Klaus is trying to find it now ."Alaric said smoothly.

"And why am I just being told this now when I can see all the pile of baggage scattered in the room and from when has this plan going over your pretty little heads and why have** I** not been included in this?".Damon said while scanning the room.

"Well there you are,Daemon, we were just waiting for you to tell you that we are leaving for Salem now."Elena said while walking into the room and sat on the couch.

"So I asked you a question Alaric?".Damon said completely ignoring her.

"Well we thought you knew,didn't Stefen tell you,we thought it was both of your idea."

Baby brother is getting possessive about his girl,I knew this would happen. Trying to reclaim his girl...Damon thought darkly. First pushing me towards the girl by sending her with me to the trip and now going with her to Salem,what the fuck is he playing at?Why doesn't he make up his mind ?I am getting sick of this, anyway whatever decision he takes, I will definitely be the one to suffer... just like always I have. How much time I have to keep this mask on?Damon spiraled into his own thoughts.

"Damon,DAMON,DAMON! ".Elena said punching him hard.  
He spun around and looked at her intensely and said "What was that punch for?"  
"Anyway why are you going there,you and Jeremy should be here safe at Originals,they are already are quiet fascinated with you and therefore you of all people should not go to these suicidal missions."  
"Excuse me how many times should I tell you that I am not weak and have been practicing with the wooden pellets anyway,and Alaric has taught me some tricks against vampires. Anyway the fight started with me and I of all people am not going to back down ."

'Your morality comes in the way of your life,it won't take even 5 sec for them to split your neck into two and drink your delicious doppleganger blood and if you are not a fool then you will not go to this silly little trip of yours. And what about Bonnie and Caroline, aren't they going there?"

"That is where I come in. You don't have to worry about Elena,I am going with her.I will protect her and as for for Bonnie and Caroline,this is where you come in,we need somebody to protect Abbe especially as Abbe is undergoing the transformation ."  
Stefan said walking into the room.

'Well you know brother I don't mind calling you a hero but with the originals lurking around I think you should tone down your hero goody-goody part, before one of them rips your neck and as for your word,it won't exist if you are lying dead in the graveyard. And as for this babysitting part, choose some other person."Daemon said irritatingly.

"Daemon we will manage,we have already done this before ."Alaric added .

"Can you guys stop talking like I am not here...and Damon please don't make it more difficult."Elena trailed off.

Yeah everything is made difficult by me...I am getting sick..of this fucking crap.

"Fine I will do this as much it pains me but can anybody tell me why I am the contender of this great job?"Damon added.

"Yeah,that is great coming from you who broke her neck and made her a vampire."Bonnie said walking into the room.

He smiled and said "Yeah you should be thankful I didn't kill her,it would have the most easiest thing to do to save Elena .Well,but..."

"Just stop it Damon!First you transform Abby into a vampire and then relishing in this. How can you be so disgusting."Elena said and glared at him.

For a moment his jaw clenched and he opened his mouth to retort but stopped.  
Then he almost said quietly 'Very well,when are you all leaving?"

They all were almost surprised to see it clear of all mock undertone.

Stefan cleared his throat and said "Now, but before that I want to talk with you."

"Hmm...brother what are we exactly doing now then?"he added mockingly.

" You also know what I am trying to say Damon."Stefan said clenching his jaw.

Can't take even a joke brother,is it your pride hindering your mind that you can't even suck up a joke or is it in front Elena that you want to stand up to me when there is no reason or I am the reason...when will you even grow up brother.

"Now ,now Stefan no need to be so vexed and what do you want to talk about?"Damon said after swinging his hands around his shoulder.

Stefan relaxed and added,"Elena can we take up your room for discussion?"

"Yeah yeah I have no problem,go on" She said smiling at Stefan and Damon.

She has such a beautiful smile...so soft,she makes me so warm. Damon thought watching her intensely.

"Let's go",Stefan said turning to Damon,when he saw him glancing at Elena.

"Damon"he called softly.

"Yeah."he said clearly startled and quickly started walking toward Elena's room.

Elena watched his retreating walk,then turned a bit to give a smile to Stefan.

Damon's eyes are so intense,they consume me but this is wrong...I am in love with Stefan but why did it feel it so right when I kissed him .His strong arms, his hot tongue,his toned body...no this is not right.I love Stefan and want him but why am I having these feelings for Damon mistakes,his empathy,his brutal way of killing,his action of not even blinking before he snaps somebody's neck.I admit everybody makes mistakes but he doesn't even try to correct it. Damon is stubborn but Stefan,he tries to change,he understands me,gives me free will of thinking.I think I really have made my choice ,the choice I had to make,this has been the most difficult choice I have ever made because choosing one of them would mean letting the other go ,choice is Stefan,Stefan Salvatore...

Elena watched Stefan go to his room and thought how Stefan would be happy when he would hear about it and tried to not think about Damon's reaction. In the end she decided that she would tell them when they all would come back from Salem. In the other side of Gilbert house the two brothers were talking .

* * *

"So what is this about Stefan?"Damon said sitting on a armchair near the bed.

"Daemon, look, the guy in charge for these days when we are not here is you ,so please just don't ruin this. You drink blood from human but that doesn't mean Abby has to do the same ,so please don't try to make her drink the same . Damon,Bonnie and Abby are your responsibility."Stefan said keeping his pitch low and said in a understanding tone.

"Hnn..so dammit you have called me here for this,what do you think I am Stefan?That I don't have the brains for safekeeping of three girls.."Damon said in a irritated tone keeping his reign on his temper.

"Damon you also know this that that you are reckless and you don't care about them,and it doesn't doesn't matter to you if they die or live. You also know how you took Vickie for the outing the day she was killed."

"You mean to say I wanted that to happen. I didn't mean it to and if you know that I don't care for people so don't try to give me these kind of shitty words."Damon said clenching his jaw.

"What if this time too you don't want it to happen and it happens, you are not the best person to keep a trust."Stefan retorted and the last vestiges of Damon's control snapped at the word trust and he lunged at Stefan,he had his hand around Stefan's throat,his eyes were blazing as if they were on fire and then he spoke.

"What the fuck do you know about trust Stefan when you broke it yourself 145 years ago that night,don't give me this kind of bloody shit again.I don't know why I keep coming to you Stefan and help you even after that night when I trusted with you a single information.I had never asked any secret to be beholded before,but the one time I try to trust in you,you betrayed look here we are now ,living a life of Vampire days after days running,living for eternity.I"

"Da...mon Damon... I ca ...n't breathe ."Stefan said choking on his hand, his gaze at Damon's eyes and he felt his stomach turn cold and felt a familiar kind of fear coming to his stomach. Damon in his anger pressed even more clogging his windpipe.

Outside the room,Caroline heard voices.

"Hey what is that? Is that Damon's voice..."And she trailed to the door when a thud was heard and Alaric understanding what was going on, ran to the door,Bonnie,Elena and Caroline trailing behind him. They opened the door to find Stefan pinned to the wall and Daemon choking him.

Underlying the situation Elena said "Damon what are you doing?You are choking him." and ran to Stefan's side to help him out . She tried to wrench Damon's hands free from Stefan's throat when Damon turning from Stefan's eyes, turned to stare at her and others and all of them recoiled from his stare. This was the first time they had seen the blazing fire in his eyes,so much anger,they felt a shiver shoot down their spine. Then once again he turned his eyes to Stefan and finally taking a deep breathe he wrenched his hands free and Stefan almost collapsed into the ground.

He gazed again at Stefan and said coldly,"Never use those words again or I will do the work the Originals intended to do and rip your neck before they have a chance."And then turning to Bonnie and Caroline,he asked "Do you have any problem with me staying back with you people."

"No,no no problem I mean I would prefer Stefan to stay but.." and cutting Caroline's words in between he turned to Bonnie and asked her,"Do you have any problem?''

"No but I need your full co-operation regarding my mother."

"I understand that your mother is on bunny diet and I give you my word that I will not ashtray her from her so called moral path, just remember there will be no problem from my side."He said in one breath and then turning to Stefan,he said "There,your work is done,need anything else"

"No,I don't need other thing"Stefan said and cutting him once again,Damon said "Good,I am outside."

"Just wait Damon I didn't mean to say that...OK look I am Sorry, I just..."Stefan said catching hold of Damon's shoulder.

"Yeah,we will continue this when you come back,OK."Damon said sliding away from his looping hand and headed towards the door.

* * *

"What happened Stefan?Is everything alright?"Elena said worriedly.

"I mean I haven't seen him this angry ever."

"Well I screwed up big,this time it was my fault..."Stefan said worriedly.

"Hey what happened?"Elena asked.

"I will tell you later.I think we should leave for Salem now."He said stepping out of the room with Bonnie and Caroline to see Damon and Alaric standing outside in the porch.

* * *

"You OK Damon."Alaric said putting his hand on Daemon's shoulder.

"Yeah,I am fine. Just update me with reports on how you are doing."Damon said silently.

"Fine..."he said when he saw all of them approaching.

"Well I will just start the car then."Jeremy said breaking the tension between them.

They all got inside the car,as Elena was entering the car she felt his penetrating gaze on her and there was an awkward silence where they all stood.

"Take care us and report us on the happenings there."Caroline said giving her brightest smile to Elena and when Damon looked at her,her smile almost slipped and she gave a pleading look to Elena.

"I will take care guys."Elena said and send a text message to Caroline to not worry about Damon's behaviour even though she could feel a cloud of worry taking over her mind on Damon's behaviour and asked her to keep a tab on him. On the other side Damon was entirely standing aloof from them and watched them with disinterested glance. Stefan sitting in the car tried to catch his eyes but couldn't and he sighed.  
As Elena sat on the seat,she could feel his heavy gaze on her for the entire time until the car started moving and when the car took a sharp turn, she looked behind finally,and she saw a lone figure of him standing and staring at her,bathing in the moonlight and his captivating eyes full of emotions. She felt her breath catch and when she could no longer see him,she closed her eyes gasping for breath and when she opened her eyes ,she looked at Stefan and looked at him whenever her mind wandered to the that lone standing figure on that road.


End file.
